Well pump



Jan. 16, 1934. A. HOLLANDER WELL PUMP Filed Sept. 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l -F'IE' E RE W 0 Z Y T E NM U. I/ mw r a I 0 MM 4 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WELL PUMP Filed Sept. 6, 1930 A. HOLLANDER IN V EN TOR.

Jan. 16, 1934.

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FIE5 E BY 40 ,Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES WELL PUMP Aladar Hollander, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to Byron Jackson 00., Berkeley, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application September 6,1930. Serial No. 480,062

6' Claims.

This invention relates generally to pumps such as are employed for lifting water and other liquids from earth wells.

Deep well pumps of the centrifugal type frequently comprise a number of centrifugal impeller units positioned within a suitable casing and positioned near the bottom of the well. The impellers are mounted on a pump shaft which extends through the well to a source of power at the ground surface. A tubular shield or inner column is provided to enclose the upper portion of the shaft and to carry bearings for supporting the shaft. A lubricating oil is introduced into the shield so that the shaft and the bearings are bathed in oil. Particularly in the case of water wells, it is desirable that oil shall not leak freely from the shield. Itherefore provide packing to confinethe oil, as is disclosed in my Patent No. 1,665,459, and preferably interpose packing glands between the lower end of the shaft shield and the impeller units adjacent thereto. Even so, some leakage of lubricating oil and of water being pumped may take place past the packing glands. Liquid that leaks past the packing glands is preferably discharged into the well through especially designed ducts, as disclosed in said Patent No. 1,665,459.

While a small leakage of oil from within .the shield is unobjectionable, and may even be desirable, the entry of water into the inner column or shield to mix with the oil is highly objectionable. I have found in practice that with prior structures it has been practically impossible to prevent the deleterious contamination of the lubria shield. The gravity head of water thus placed upon the packing gland becomes considerable. Since the effectiveness of. the customary packing gland is dependent upon the pressure of the water being pumped, it is evident that when the pump is not operating, a loosening of the gland follows,

with the result that the accompanying high head of water in the well causes a flow of water from the well, past the packing and into the shield. During subsequent operation of the pump, the Water level lowers in the well and may fall below the level of the lubricant within the shield.

It might be thought that a return flow of oil and previously injected water would take place, but since during operation of the pump the packing is tightly compressed, no appreciable return occurs in practice.

It is an object of the presentinvention to devise a pump having a structure for sealing the shaft which minimizes the'opportunity for water to pass into the tubular shield and mix with the lubricant.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple structure which maintains the compression of the packing above a predetermined value.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a pump packing which tightens upon application of exterior fluid pressure, such as the gravity head of water in the well, so that the entrance of water into the shield is obviated.

The foregoing and other objects are attained in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through a well containing a deep well pump embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of another type of device embodying the present invention, the figure being similar to Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of a well pump construction with which the present invention is particularly concerned, the view being an enlargement of a portion of Figure 2.

A deep well pump having a pump casing 6 is shown positioned in a well 7. A plurality of impeller units 8 are serially joined at the bottom of the pump casing 6 for lifting water from the well throughthe casing 6 and a discharge conduit 9. Each impeller unit 8 includes an impeller (not shown) fixed on a common shaft 17, the impellers being each encased by an outer wall 12 of the impeller unit and being adapted to discharge water through a guide channel 13 into a passage 14 between the pump casing 6 and an inner column or tubular shield 16 which encloses the upper portion of the rotatable shaft 17. In this form of the invention, I have shown an electric motor 18 at the surface for rotating the shaft 1'7 although other suitable power means may be employed.

The portion of the shaft 17 which extends from the impeller units is supported by bearings positioned at intervals in the tubular shield so that it is adequately supported and does not whip. One of these bearings 19, is provided adjacent the lower end of the tubular shield 16.

To permit any oil leakage from the inner column 16 to flow into the well rather than into the water being discharged by the pump, I preferably position a casing member 20 between the casing 6 and the upper impeller unit 8, the casing being joined to the member 20 by bolts 21 extending through a flange 22 on the casing and a similar flange on the member 20. Flanges 23 on the impeller unit 8 and the member 20 are clamped together by bolts 24. Ducts 26 are formed in the member 20 to extend across the passage 14 so as to establish communication between the interior of the shield 16 and the well so that liquid leaking along the shaft 17 passes into the well instead of into the flowing discharge water.

The ducts 26 are joined to centrally aligned sleeves 27 and 28, the sleeve 27 being extended to join the bearing 19 and'the sleeve 28 being extended to project into the upper impeller unit 8. The sleeves 27 and 28 are spaced from the shaft 1'7 to provide for the insertion of packing means 29 and 31, respectively.

The packing means are adapted to be compressed to encompass the shaft tightly so that reduced to a minimum. To this end, a follower 32 is situated within the sleeve 27 to engage the packing 29 while another follower 33 is disposed within the sleeve 28 to engage the packing 31, the two being suitably mechanically joined as by struts 37 to form a cage.

In accordance with the present invention, the passage of water along the shaft 17 from the impeller units 8 into the ducts 26 is inhibited while the impellers are rotating by the pressure-exerted upon the packing means 31, by the pressure of adjusting nut 36, and by fluid pressure in the duct 26. The packing adjacent the bearing 19 is maintained under at least the predetermined minimum pressure. Also the packing means adjacent the bearing 19 is held compressed by the gravity head of water in the wellso that water cannot enter into the tubular shield 16 to dilute the oil therein.

These functions are accomplished by a structure such as that shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5. The follower 32 is formed with several integral struts 37 adapted to bear upon a ring 41 positioned to abut against suitable means for limiting its travel such as an annular shoulder 42 formed on the sleeve 28. In this manner, the minimum compression of the packing 29 by adjustment of the plug 36 can readily be obtained but cannot be exceeded after the ring 41 abuts the shoulder 42.

I have found the structure and manner of providing the means for limiting the compression which can be placed upon the packing 29 which is depicted in Figure 5 of merit. The annular shoulder 42 is formed integrally with the body 20 so that the ring cannot pass through the sleeve 28.

The follower 32 preferably is adapted to receive a cup leather 43 retained by a screw collar 44 so that the resulting structure is in the nature of a piston which is responsive to fluid pressure in the ducts 26 so that when the height of water in the well exceeds the level at which the duct 26 is placed, the piston is urged to compress the packing 29, and thus ensure that water does not enter into the tubular shield 16. As the water rises in the well when the pump is not operating, the compression of the packing 29 is increased and is independent of pressure within the channel 13 and the passage 14.

The follower 33 also carries a cup leather 47 held in place by screw collar 49 so that fluid leaking along shaft 17 from below the follower 33 compresses the packing 31 Without transmitting more than a predetermined amount of this compression to packing 29. This ensures that when the pump is operating, the packing 31 is compressed in proportion to the pressure of the pumped water and that the packing 29 is compressed at least to the minimum amount.

In Figure 4 I have shown a modified construction in which a cage 61 is provided between the packing means 29 and 31. This cage is preferably an integral structure and includes suitably spaced struts 62 and rings 63 and 64 in engagement with the respective packing means. To ensure that the packing means 29 is not compressed beyond a predetermined amount, the tube 28 is formed with an annular shoulder 66 engaged by the ring 64. In this modification a piston 67 is also provided. A cup leather 68 is maintained on the piston between a piston member 69 and a screw collar '70. A packing nut 71 threaded in the tube 28 engages the piston 67 so that adjustment of the minimum compression in the packing 31 is possible.

By virtue of the fact that the packing means 29 is substantially maintained at a predetermined pressure the packing 29 cannot partake of the valve action previously described and even though some water should leak into the shield 16, its subsequent drainage is not precluded.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the form of the pump packing shown and described herein, as the invention, as set forth in the following claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

I claim:

1. In a well pump, a pump casing, a shaft in said casing, a tubular shield around the shaft and providing a channel for liquid between the shield and the casing, bearings for said shaft in said shield, an impeller on said shaft, a duct. having an inlet to said shield and adapted to discharge to the exterior of the casing, a first packing means between said duct and said bearings, a second packing means between said duct and said impeller, a spacing member between said first and said second packing means, common mechanical means for compressing both said first and said second packing means, and means for limiting the compression of said first packing'means by said mechanical means.

2. In a well pump, a rotatable pump shaft, a bearing for said shaft, a tubular shield encompassing the shaft and supporting said bearing, a first packing means surrounding said shaft adjacent said bearing, a second packing means surrounding said shaft, a spacing member between said first and second packing means, common means for compressing both of said packing means, stop means for limiting the amount of compression of said first packing means by said compressing means, and means between said limiting means and said first packing means for affording communication between the interior of said shield and the well.

3. In a well pump, a rotatable pump shaft, a bearing for said shaft, a tubular shield encompassing said shaft and supporting said bearing, a duct communicating with the interior of said shield and with the well, a first packing means in said shield between said duct and said bearing, a second packing means in said shield, a spacing member between said first and said second packing means, common means for compressing both of said packing means, and stop means for limiting the amount of compression of said first packing means by said compressing means.

4. Inc. well pump, a rotatable shaft, a bearing for said shaft, a tubular shield extending about the shaft 'and retaining the bearing in place, a first packing means positioned in the shield to seal the bearing, a second packing means for sealing the shaft, common means for compressing both packing means, stop means for limiting compression of the first packing means by said compressing means, and means between said limiting means and said first pack ing means for affording communication between the interior of said shield and the well.

5. In a well pump, a pump casing, a shaft in said casing, a tubular shield around the shaft and providing a channel for liquid between the shield and the casing, bearings for said shaft in said shield, an impeller on said shaft, a duct in a casing member, said duct having an inlet to said shield and adapted to discharge to the exterior of the casing, a first packing means between said duct and said bearings, a second packing means between said duct and said impeller, a spacing member between said first and said second packing means, common mechanical means for compressing both said first and said second packing means, and a shoulder formed on the casing member to engage the spacing member whereby compression of the first packing means by the mechanical means is limited.

6. In a well pump, a pump'casing, a shaft in said casing, a tubular shield around the shaft and providing a channel for liquid between the shield and the casing, bearings for said shaft in said shield, an impeller on said shaft, a duct in a casing member, said duct having an inlet to said shield and adapted to discharge to the exterior of the casing, a first packing means between said duct and said bearings, a second packing means between-said duct and said impeller, a spacing member between said first and said second packing means, the spacing member including a separable ring engaging the second packing means, common mechanical means for compressing both said first and said second packing means, and a shoulder formed in the casing member to limit travel of the ring whereby compression of the first packing means by the mechanical means is limited. 

